1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an electrician's tool for stripping outer insulating sheathing from multiple conductor electrical cable and for stripping insulation from individually insulated conductors. Electrical cable comprised of two or more conductors enclosed within an outer protective insulating sheathing of thermoplastic or other similar resinous insulating material is widely used in electrical construction, maintenance and repair. Such cable is of generally flat configuration including most generally a pair of separate individually insulated conductors laid in parallel spaced apart relation and commonly a bare uninsulated grounding conductor embedded in the sheathing midway between the pair of insulated wires. The tool is equally adapted to stripping the sheathing from type NM multiple conductor cables having a round configuration with three conductors and one ground wire, as well as flat UF and NM cable assemblies. In making electrical connections in outlet boxes, switch boxes, electrical panels, etc., in making junction splices, and the like, it is necessary that anywhere from 6 to 8 inches to 2 feet or more of the insulating sheathing must be removed to expose the indivdual conductors. It is also necessary that an inch or two of the insulation of the individually insulated conductors be removed to make the electrical connections.
2. The Prior Art
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,966, issued June 4, 1974, there is disclosed an electrician's wire stripping tool for accomplishing some of these needs. The tool of that patent, although the best heretofore available for its intended purpose, is limited in its utility to the removal of one or more surface layers of sheathing. Then the electrician must lay aside the tool while he picks up a jack knife of similar cutting tool to sever that portion of the sheathing pulled away and separated from the individual conductors but still attached to the body of the sheathing. Also, a separate tool was required for stripping the insulation from the ends of individually insulated conductors. The tool of the present invention is an improvement over that of my prior patent. It is more versatile in that it alone performs the functions required for preparing a cable for making electrical connections.